Human beings are animals prone to finding patterns in everything. Part of the reason for our success is an ability to see the value in numbers as well, and as a consequence we often see certain numbers as having an amount of significance in our lives. This appreciation for numerical systems has led to things like the development of calendars, the creation of the loom and weaving, and the basis for logic and philosophy. Furthermore, it has led to advancements in mathematics that would seem like otherworldly voodoo to our ancestors. Subconsciously many of us notice how these patterns and numbers affect our lives, and so we seek to control them instead of letting them control us.
Obsessive compulsive disorder
For an unfortunate few, the interest in a certain number is not a simple fascination, but a compulsive need to control their lives by focusing on a specific number and duplicating its presence. Like many obsessions, this can alternate simply placing a number in our lives repeatedly for comfort, like looking for the things in threes as we go about our daily lives, to being terrified when we forget to lock our door three times before we leave home. This is a recognized medical condition that can be managed through medication or therapy but some are not so lucky.
Good luck charms
As a result of us looking for patterns in everything we do people will also attach certain correlations between patterns and circumstances, as in a rainy day being a bad day. When it comes to numbers, this is also very common to attribute the presence of a number to the positive events in our lives and yes some people are much more sensitive than others in this regard. These numbers, of course, can go either way with some numbers being perceived as nothing but bad luck. If a number starts out with a bad reputation, like the number 13, then we are more apt to attribute our bad luck to the presence of that number, which is why places like BGO casino tend to avoid associating with 13. This is why bad luck numbers are shared among the population, and good luck numbers are often more personal in nature and commonly seen as important to the individual.
Numerology
The practice of looking at patterns in numbers specifically has even birthed a sort of pseudo-science where the origins of a number and its place and frequency in nature are attributed some meaning. This practice is called numerology and while it is not what you would call a solid science, it is a field of study that looks at a certain amount of hard data and infers meaning in an anecdotal fashion. Of course, there are a lot emotional inferences when this sort of process is applied. Still, people commonly use it as a way to discover their lucky number, or simply as a way to find meaning in the numbers and circumstances in their lives. This search for meaning is as much about the control as the behavior of a person obsessing over the presence of a number in their life.